Monday, August 6, 2012

More on Ben Jonson

‘…It is impossible to
see Hawthornden, and mention its poetical owner [William Drummond], without
thinking upon the time when

"Jonson sate in Drummond's social shade."

and lamenting the loss of Ben's

-"journey
into Scotland song,

With
all the adventurers."

And from thence it is with anxiety that we find ourselves
urged upon something like a controversy with the learned, acute, and ingenious
editor of Jonson's works, who, in his zeal to do full justice to his subject,
has, we think, uttered some undue injury to the memory of Drummond. The attempt
has indeed been prohibited to us, under a heavy denunciation. We presume,
nevertheless, in all honourable courtesy, to take up the gage which is thus
thrown down, and venture the following remarks on the memorable interview of
Drummond of Hawthornden and the great English dramatist, and the brief account
which the former has left of the manners and opinions of Ben
Jonson.

That Ben Jonson did Drummond
the distinguished honour of visiting Scotland, partly with a view of spending
some time with a man whom he esteemed—that he accordingly lived about three
weeks at Hawthornden, and was gratified by Drummond's hospitality—that they
parted friends, and remained in an amicable intercourse until death—are facts
on which all are agreed; as also, that in the shape of loose memoranda,
Drummond has preserved some severe censures passed by Jonson
upon other poets, and added a very unfavourable
picture of the dramatist's self-opinion, as well as of his intemperance, his
literary jealousies and peculiarities, the laxity of his speculative opinions,
and other foibles which darkened his great qualities. Hinc iliae lachrymae.

These scraps of information, for they are nothing more,
may be considered in two points of view, as they affect the character of Jonson, or that of Drummond; in other words, as they
contain truth with respect to the former, or as they infer malice and calumny
(whether in themselves true or false) on the part of him who recorded them.

On the first point, it is not easy to discover Mr.
Gifford's opinion. He seems to receive as truth what circumstances Drummond has
narrated concerning Jonson's birth, parentage, and earlier adventures; and far
from doubting the accuracy of his report concerning Jonson's criticisms on
contemporary authors, he only regrets that they are not sufficiently detailed.
It is therefore apparently only where Drummond bears testimony to Jonson's
failings, that the editor, in laudable zeal for the honour of his author, is
disposed to impugn his testimony…’

Ben Jonson was
covered last year, as well. But he certainly deserves additional coverage.In this post, we bring in Scott’s discussion
of a friendship between Jonson and Scottish poet William Drummond.The text above comes from “Provincial
Antiquities of Scotland”.The English
dramatist died on August 6th, 1637.